The Power and Possibility of Questions J. R. Briggs
Parker Palmer had been offered the position of college president, and he was ready to accept. He had already visited the campus, talked with the board, faculty, and administration, and was told the job was his if he wanted it. Because he was a Quaker, he gathered about a dozen friends for a clearness committee, a communal practice of discernment his religious tradition holds when someone is at the crossroads of a significant decision.
His friends’ first few questions were easy, and he answered them quickly and sufficiently. About halfway through, one friend asked what seemed to be another easy question— at least on the surface. But it was much more difficult than he imagined:“ What would you like most about being president?”
He paused a full minute before offering a reply.“ Well, I would not like having to give up my
54